Neale Loring is riding the vengeance trail, hoping to even the score with the notorious Clate Dixon. Recognized far and wide as a cool-thinking cowboy, Dixon has nerves of steel and has easily outmaneuvered the Texas Rangers and other peace officers. It was Dixon who murdered Neale's father and two brothers in cold blood, and then quickly disappeared with twenty thousand dollars in cash from the sale of Loring's ranch. Seeking justice, young Neale heads West, but is temporarily sidetracked in his quest for revenge when ranch owner Abe Utley hires him to oversee a cattle drive along the Rio Grande. On the first day out, Neale's experience as an ace gunslinger comes into play during a shootout with a band of cattle thieves, and throughout the long trek across the open range, Neale defends the herd from smugglers, outlaws, and roving bands of Apache raiders. The canyons and dry gulches of the desert Southwest set the scene for Neale's final showdown with Clate Dixon and his gang.

This is the story of young Bill Helgar, an orphaned boy who arrives in a small western town looking for his uncle who has just been murdered. Bill is befriended by the slick and cunning gambler, Dan Trusand -- the very man who killed his uncle. Trusand allows Bill to ride his horse, Blue Chip, in the big race that is coming up. There are rumors that the race is fixed, and Bill learns more than a few life lessons as he attempts to discover the truth about both his uncle and the horse race. The narrative takes a number of unexpected twists and turns, with a double lynching, a wife beating, a framed horserace and several more murders before reaching a tense showdown filled with smoking guns.

Gil Jones, a Confederate Civil War veteran, arrives in Cinchring, Wyoming with a herd of 15,000 Texas longhorns. He plans to claim and settle his herd at Timber Creek, a choice parcel of land just outside Cinchring, unaware that Timber Creek is the focus of a range war between the rival Sagehen Track and Circle K ranches. Jones immediately runs afoul of Ed Snow, ruthless owner of the Circle K, by coming to the defense of Ann Chambers, the beautiful daughter of Sagehen Track owner Ross Chambers. Gil and Ann fall in love, and Gil attempts to persuade Ross Chambers not to oppose his claim on Timber Creek. Zeno Hilton, the town's greedy, manipulative banker plots to thwart Jones' attempt to claim Timber Creek, but Jones eventually uncovers the scheme, and joins forces with Ross Chambers for a final showdown against both Hilton and Ed Snow.

Texas Ranger Jim Hatfield craves the open trail, savors the danger and excitement of clashing with enemies of the Lone Star State, and is sworn to uphold the law no matter what the odds. Hatfield is challenged by Cyrus Isbell, a ruthless and ambitious local contractor who aims to take control of the building trades in Austin and make a small fortune for himself in the process. Isbell's agents include a horse thief named Dogface Lucas and Juan Enriquez (a.k.a. "El Chicaro"), who scour the Texas countryside with their cohorts, carrying out reprisals against any local ranchers who dare to defy Isbell's orders. Fearless Hatfield and his fellow Rangers won't rest until folks can once again get a square deal, and their Texas-style fight for justice culminates in an all-out gun battle with six-guns blazing, Colts and carbines at the ready and Ranger Hatfield leading the fight.